


Don't Freak Out

by 9r7g5h



Category: Tangled (2010)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-20
Updated: 2013-08-11
Packaged: 2017-11-26 04:04:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 22,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/646354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/9r7g5h/pseuds/9r7g5h
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It ended up being the phrase that defined some of the most important events in his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hair

The first time Rapunzel asked Flynn to not freak out, she had been about to heal his hand with her magical glowing hair.

This was a lot easier asked than done.

In a way, Flynn had already accepted that the incredibly strange yet attractive young girl before him was beyond weird. Personality wise, he blamed her mother, figuring that eighteen years locked away in a tower with only a frog for a friend had to have some negative effects on her mental stability. But the hair? Yah, that was all Blondie.

Sitting there, watching as she wrapped a lock of hair around his hand, Flynn could not help but start to panic, even with her prior warning. Of course, he kind of knew what to expect. Just a few hours ago, it had been her hair that had saved them from drowning to death, and he had been fine with it. A bit curious, but fine. As it turned out, however, being fine with something that could save you from dying a horrible death while you are in the process of dying said death is a lot different from being fine with something while sitting in the middle of a tranquil forest besides a happily crackling fire, death the farthest thing on your mind.

So Flynn would admit, if only to himself, that when Rapunzel started to sing, he started to freak out. His heart started to pound, adrenalin pulsing through his body, filling him with the need to move, to run, to leave whatever it was that was threatening as far behind as he could. At the same time he froze, captivated by the miracle before him. With each word she sung, the clearing became a little brighter, her hair flooding the area with enough light to drown out the fire, the flames looking like a candle next to the sun. As she reached the end of the song, the glow from her hair began to die away, once more plunging them into darkness.

For a few moments he sat there, struggling to regain his wits and not scream, when he noticed that she was watching him, her eyes examining his every feature, looking as if she herself was about to bolt should his response be negative. So, in an attempt to lighten the mood, he began talking, asking the first things that came to his brain. Later, he would bemoan his questions, for although they brought more of her past to light, they also turned up his own, but for the moment they served their purpose of releasing the tension that had built up. Although she had been nervous talking about her past, a soft smile soon appeared on Rapunzel’s face while his own muscles began to relax, the sudden spurt of energy tapering off into his normal nerves at being in open spaces, spaces where a horse would easily be able to run up and catch you, especially if you were a highly wanted thief.

After a few minutes of talking, he left to gather firewood, using the walk to get rid of the last of his pent up energy, the brisk night air helping to cool his heated muscles. It was not long afterwards that the two of them went to sleep, Rapunzel jittery and jumpy with what he assumed was her excitement at seeing the lanterns tomorrow. Forcing himself to lay still, Flynn could not help but feel a splash of shame over his response to her gift. She had only been trying to help, and he had been terrified of her, freaking out despite her plea for him to remain calm. If it was not for his natural charm kicking in, he could have made a huge messing out of everything. It did not help that he was not really Flynn Rider anymore, but some confusing mixture of Flynn and Eugene.

Laying there, looking up at the stars above him, listening as Rapunzel’s breathing slowly deepened and slowed, he promised himself that he would never react so strongly at anything she did or said to him again, instead taking whatever it was like the man he was becoming. Or at least, he would do his best to hide his feelings for her until, no matter what, he could comply with her request to not freak out.


	2. Princess

The second time Flynn, now one-hundred percent Eugene, heard Rapunzel’s request for him to not freak out, only a day and a half had passed since the first time.

And what a day and a half it had been.

After spending a sleepless night in a cold, damp jail cell, waiting for his death, Eugene had been sure that he would never see Rapunzel again, that she would forever be trapped in her tower by Gothel until the end of her days. And, were it not for the pub thugs breaking in to help him, he would already be buried in a shallow grave, his corpse left for the worms. His fear had quickly turned into hope as he saw the different men, all of them wanted for heinous crimes against the kingdom, fighting to free him. Although he knew they were all probably in jail or dead by now, their sacrifice had given him the chance to save Rapunzel from a fate almost worse than death.

Ridding off on Maximus, urgency had pushed them into a breakneck race through the forest, every second that passed with no tower in sight convincing him that they had been too late, that Gothel had kidnap Rapunzel once more, locking her away somewhere horrible, away from the world she craved. When they had finally reached the tower, he had thrown himself off the horse, yelling up to her in a desperate attempt to reach her in time, thousands of plans for escape filling his head as the familiar rope of blonde locks fell to the ground. Climbing up, Eugene had only had a single moment to take in his surroundings before pain shot through his body, the pain of getting stabbed in the kidney by the crazy witch who had called herself Rapunzel’s mother. He barely remembered anything after that, events like cutting off her seventy feet of hair or his untimely death and welcoming revival blurring together like a dream, leaving him more than a little confused.

By the time Rapunzel had found the key to unlock his handcuff, Eugene was convinced that he could have curled up right there on the floor and slept for days, he was so exhausted. However, no matter how tired he was, he was sure that the tower was not the place to rest. Although he was still a bit sketchy on the details, Pascal had mimed out the events he had missed, from the point where he had been tricked by the Stabbington brothers to his revival. How the frog had made sense, he would never know, but he did understand enough to realize that, no matter how calm she was acting, to keep Rapunzel here, in the place that had been her prison for the past eighteen years, where the only mother she had ever known had just betrayed her and died, even for the few hours it would take for him to recover, was cruel.

So, the moment the chains had fallen to the floor with a welcoming clatter, he had been up and moving, asking Rapunzel questions about where the food had been kept and whether she had another frying pan or not. Sending her off to pack a bag of everything she wanted to keep from her former home, Flynn had quickly raided the food storage, throwing everything he could into a convenient bag he had found stashed inside the cupboard.

His mind had been churning with plans, plans for their future after they left the tower. Of course, the first thing they would have to do was find someplace safe to rest and eat. But what then? He had been sure that, now that she was free, Rapunzel would want to try and find her real parents. This, he knew, was going to take a large sum of money. Her parents could be anywhere, in any kingdom. Thousands of miles could be separating the family, and it would cost money to use a train or boat to find them. Even if Max decided to accompany them and provide transportation, they would still need the money to feed themselves.

Of course, Eugene had money they could use for their quest. While stealing the crown of the Lost Princess had been his biggest heist ever, he had been no small time crook before that. He had pulled off some very big jobs, each one fetching him a couple of heavy bags full of gold. The crown would have been just what he had needed to fulfill his former selfish dream, bringing in enough money for him to have bought ten islands if he wanted them. But the crown aside, he had money, probably enough to keep them afloat for a couple of months. Also, if his eyes were not lying to him, Gothel had kept some pretty valuable stuff in the tower with Rapunzel, enough to fund most of their adventure if they lived cheaply.

Pushing those thoughts to the side, Eugene had tied the top of the bag closed before turning away from the kitchen, searching for where Rapunzel had gone. Although all of the stuff in the tower now belonged to her, he had guessed that she would never touch any of it, leaving it there instead to rot. And they could work with that.

Finding Rapunzel and Pascal waiting by the trap door Gothel had revealed, her three books, a set knitting needles, some paints, a dress, the frying pan, and some blankets the only possessions she wanted to take with her, Eugene had led the way to where Max was waiting for them, his eyes brightening at seeing the three of them appear. Within moments they had mounted and were off, running from the tower and their pasts towards their future.

After a few hours of riding, putting as much distance between them and the castle as possible to avoid detection by the still searching guards, they had made camp in a small clearing by the river. Without bothering to unpack anything, they had all collapsed to the ground, Pascal nestled in the crook of Rapunzel’s arm while her head rested on his chest. For some reason, Maximus had allowed him to use his body as a pillow, providing a soft place to rest against. Within a few moments of lying down, the events of the past day had caught up with them, forcing them into the sweet bliss of sleep.

Which was how Eugene found himself in his current situation. A few hours later, he had been awoken by the small of bread and cheese toasting over the fire, his empty stomach reminding him that he had not eaten anything since the pastries the afternoon before at the festival, an event that seemed years away after everything that had happened in such a short time.

Levering himself up, a smile creased his face as he saw Rapunzel standing by the fire, her frying pan gently simmering as their food cooked. That image did not last for long, for the moment he had moved Pascal, who had apparently been watching him, let out a high pitched squeak that drew Rapunzel’s attention. Within milliseconds she had been on him, her face buried into his chest while her arms wrapped around his waist. Embracing her back, Eugene had pushed them into a sitting position, intent on pulling away slightly so as to see her face, when she was gone, back by the side of the fire, gingerly pulling the cheesy toast off of the pan for them to eat.

The four of them ate in silence, Max and Pascal quickly devouring some fruit they had managed to find in the forest. Licking the grease from his fingers, Eugene began to wonder what it was Rapunzel was really thinking. The entire time she had been staring at him, a strange look in her eyes that concerned him. It reminded him…it reminded him of the same look she had worn just before she healed his hand.

“What’s wrong Rapunzel?” His sudden question surprising her, Rapunzel glanced around the clearing, her teeth gently sunk into her bottom lip. Shifting in her seat, she reached up her hand as if to grab a lock of her hair, though it swiftly fell as it encountered emptiness instead. Instead it traveled to her lap, twisting the fabric of her dress as she gathered her thoughts. Taking a deep breath, Rapunzel glanced over at him one last time before stating her worries.

“Mo-…Gothel wasn’t my real mother.”

“I know.” Smiling at her startled look, Eugene gestured over to where Pascal had just stuffed another piece of fruit into his mouth, his skin turning as blue as whatever it was he had just swallowed.

“The frog explained it all to me when you were searching for the key.” A small smile graced her face as she shot him a warning look, one that was quickly reinforced by Pascal’s sudden appearance on her shoulder, his hands crunched into fists. Raising his hands in a sign of defeat, Eugene smiled back in a silent attempt to apologize.

“Okay, okay, chameleon.” Accepting his apology, Pascal returned to his dinner, watching the two of them with his large eyes. It was slightly distracting to watch as the lizard changed color with each thing he ate, though Eugene’s attention was drawn back to Rapunzel as she continued to speak.

“I want to meet my parents.” Eugene nodded at her next statement, since really that had been his plan all along.

“Glad we’re on the same page, Blondie. I’ve been thinking the same thing. We should hang out here for a few days, and then once the hype over my escape has died down we can sneak into the Record’s room. They’re sure to have some documents about girls who went missing who are about your age. Once we have those, it’ll just be a matter of traveling around to find your pare-“

“Eugene,” Rapunzel interrupted, something in her voice cutting his words short. Looking away, staring in the direction of the capital, Rapunzel’s back had stiffened as he spoke, her head turning just enough so he could see the look in her eyes. Worried, scared, and perhaps a little bit excited, the emotions apparent on her face made him wonder if perhaps he should have left the planning to Rapunzel all along.

“I know who my parents are.” Although he felt a surge of pleasant surprise at her revelation, the look on Rapunzel’s face forced Eugene to pause and reevaluate the situation. Normally, one would think that, after eighteen years of living a lie, she would be happy to finally figure out who she was. But following the happiness of her news, Eugene could not help the emotions building in his chest, the feeling of panic that was attempting to consume him. He had just found a girl he possibly loved, one he already had died for and would multiple times if the occasions called for it, and he was going to probably lose her soon.

He had been hoping that, while on their journey to find her parents, he would be able to explore his new feelings towards her, to find out if what he was feeling was really love or if it was just infatuation. It if turned out to be the latter, then fine. They would remain good friends and go on with their lives, both changed for the better. But if it had turned out to be the former, as he really hoped it would be, then he wanted time to prove to her that he was a changed man, a man who, while he would never be worthy of her, was someone slightly closer to being that kind of man then he was at the moment. Her knowing who her parents were, while a wonderful thing, took away that time he had been selfishly hoping for.

Pushing away his feelings, Eugene refocused his attention on Rapunzel and forced a smile. Even if he was losing time to prove himself to her, he could always just hang around whatever town she was settling down in and prove himself there, both to her and her parents. He was just starting to feel confident with the series of plans that had invaded his mind when Rapunzel spoke again.

“Eugene. My parents, well…just, don’t freak out, okay?” Waiting until after he had nodded, a sinking feeling in his chest as he remembered the last time he had heard the phrase coming from the girl before him, Rapunzel turned so she was looking him straight in the eyes and continued.

“I’m the lost princess. My parents are the King and Queen of Corona.”

And that is when the dam broke.

Although he had promised himself that he would not freak out, Eugene could not help it as his jaw dropped open, his eyes widening in disbelief. The plans he had just finished constructing, the ones where he and Rapunzel found her family, he proved himself to them, and they all ended up living happily ever after, crumbled to dust in his mind, destroyed by this crucial little fact. Before he knew it, he was on his feet, pacing across the clearing as the adrenalin began to rise.

“You’re the princess. _You’re_ the princess. You’re _the_ princess. You’re the _princess_.” Letting out a bark of insane laughter, Eugene leaned against a tree for support, burying his face in his hands as the meaning of his sentences began to truly sink in. A groan forcing its way through his lips as they finally made sense, he slid to the ground, his promise to Rapunzel forgotten.

“You’re the princess, Blondie. The lost princess of Corona. The one the entire kingdom has been looking for for the past seventeen and a half years. And all this time you were just a days’ walk away.” Another chuckle forced its way from his throat, his body shaking from the force of the short but violent fit. It just had to be her. The lost princess just had to turn out to be the beautiful, innocent, amazing girl he just might be in love with. Eugene knew Fate worked in mysterious ways, but now she was just being a bitch.

How could he, a thief, even think of being with a princess?

Raising his head, Eugene felt a flash of guilt as he saw her staring up at him. He had done it again, had freaked out when he had promised he would not. Standing up, he quickly crossed the small clearing until he was before her, kneeling on one knee. Looking her straight in the eyes, Eugene cupped her cheek in his hand, marveling at the feel of her skin against his. Forcing a small smile, he pulled her towards him, embracing her in an apologetic hug for his behavior. Holding her close, he breathed in deeply, memorizing her scent, before saying the words that would break his heart.

“In the morning, we’ll get you back to your parents.” Although the look in her eyes almost made up for it, Eugene could not help the overwhelming feeling of loss. He was a thief, she was a princess. They could never be together. Watching as she started to play with Maximus and Pascal, the two of them overjoyed at the fact that she was going home, he let out a slow sigh as he remember the promise he had made to himself the night before. He had failed today, had freaked out and broken his promise to her, but he swore that, no matter what would come tomorrow, he would not break it again.

He swore that the last image Rapunzel would have of him would be him smiling, happy for her as she met her new fate, unaware that his would be waiting for him in the prison court yard in the form of a noose to punish him for his past crimes.


	3. Love

The third time Eugene was asked not to freak out, he and Rapunzel had been dating for almost six whole months.

To be honest, he had not really expected to last that long.

After returning Rapunzel to the castle, to her parents, he had fully expected to be dragged back to the dungeons and thrown into the deepest, darkest cell they could find until he either withered into a lifeless husk or they decided to execute him. He had not expected to be welcomed with open arms after Rapunzel told their story, his charges dropped without a single question. He had not expected to be given a room in the castle three doors down from Rapunzel’s, nor had he expected it when the King made a proclamation that established him as a national hero. He had not expected any of it. But it had happened, and he was more than grateful that it had, for it had given him more time.

Time to get used to being Eugene again after almost ten years of denying that he even existed, time to see what life was like for the highest citizens in their country, and time to watch Rapunzel fully grow into the wonderful woman Gothel had been planning on keeping from the world.

But most importantly, it gave him the time with Rapunzel he had wanted to figure out what it was exactly that he was feeling for her.

He was sure it was love.

Never before had he felt even close to what he was feeling every day he was with Rapunzel. Not when he was stealing the most valuable treasures in the kingdom, not when he was surrounded by some of the most beautiful women in the pubs, and definitely not when he had been a child, trapped inside the kingdom orphanage. In a way, it was almost like he was flying, his body lighter than air when he was around her. In others it was like a chain, a thick iron band wrapped around his heart that was attached to her, making it impossible for him to leave even if he had wanted to. Which he did not. Ever.

But he had not intended to ever let her know that.

Eugene knew what he was. An orphan who grew up to be a thief who just happened to catch a lucky break for once in his life. There was no way he would ever be proper prince material, even with all the lessons the King had been giving him. While there might have been a chance for him and Rapunzel had she been a normal girl, now there was nothing. Soon, once he gained the courage to shatter his heart, he would leave, opening Rapunzel up to the princes of the world, one of which had to be perfect for her. They would meet, fall in love, have a bunch of kids, and rule the kingdom, perfectly happy in their own little world.

Meanwhile, he would go dig up his stash of cash, find some small village on the boarder and settle down, perhaps becoming the town storyteller. He would watch as Rapunzel lived her life, her time with him just becoming a fond memory as she moved on with her husband and children. He would watch as she probably became one of the best Queens Corona had ever had, leading them into a time of prosperity and peace. They would never see each other again, but he would always be watching.

He had already planned everything, in a way. Now that Rapunzel had become adjusted to palace life, foreign nobles had started coming to visit, hoping to gain an audience with the Lost Princess herself, to hear about the life she had held before she had been found. Many of the young men that had come had been fascinated with her and she with them, they because of her beauty and she because they were the only other men her age besides him she had ever actually been able to talk to and get to know. Some she had even become close friends with, keeping in contact through frequent letters. Eugene was sure that, with him out of the picture, natural progression would draw her and one of the men she had become friends with together, eventually falling in love. All he had to do was leave when one of them was there visiting, there to help her overcome the short grief his disappearance would spark, help that would grow into so much more, or so he hoped. He hated the idea of anyone else with Rapunzel, but by leaving he was giving her so much more then he could have ever offered her if he had stayed.

That plan got a wrench thrown into it when Rapunzel said that she loved him.

It had been completely out of the blue. The two of them had been lying in the grass in the garden, staring at the shining stars above then, Rapunzel showing him the different constellations while he told her the stories that went with them when, in a failed attempt to be casual, Rapunzel turned on her side and said those cursed words. The words that made his heart flip and his stomach flop, that filled his mind with vision of their future that would never come true.

“Don’t freak out, but I think I love you.”

Oh, how he hated those words.

“Eugene?” Eugene blinked at the sound of his name, Rapunzel’s face inching closer as worry flashed in her eyes. Seeing her so close, after she had just revealed that she was in love with him, almost broke through the wall Eugene had built, had been building ever since she first told him that she was the princess. He had tried to separate the two of them, believing that, if he stayed in the background, allowing the trials of everyday life to consumer her time and attention, allowing for only a few stolen moments with him that, perhaps, it would help to keep her from getting too attached. Guess that worked well.

Pulling back, Eugene quickly untangled them and stood, leaving Rapunzel on the ground where they had been sitting, her head tilted in confusion. Letting out a sigh, he ran his hand through his hair before turning away from her, his voice steadying even as his clenched fists began to shake. His plans tossed out the window, he began to improvise, searching for the words that would make it hurt the least amount possible for her. Already he could feel his heart beginning to break, but he could not let things continue as they were. If he wanted Rapunzel to find happiness, he had to end things before they went any further. Now.

“You don’t mean that, Rapunzel. You don’t love me, so let’s not pretend that you do.” Eugene flinched as Rapunzel gasped, but he refused to stop. She had to hate him, hate him more then she had ever hated anyone else in her life, if she was to let him go. If she hated him, then she would be able to move on just that much easier.

“I guess I let things go a bit too far. Well, I felt responsible for getting you to your parents and seeing that you were able to become part of society. But, now that I’ve seen you’ll be fine, I’ll be on my way. Good luck, Blondie.” Walking away, Eugene bit his tongue as a sound reached his ears, a choked, half strangled whisper of a cry. For a moment he could feel his resolve wavering, his need to protect her hitting him full force in the heart. He almost stopped then, struggling with himself to return to her, to beg her forgiveness, to explain exactly why he had just said those things, but did not. Holding on to the idea that she would be better off without him, he forced himself to continue, placing one foot in front of the other as he walked away from the best thing that had ever happened to him.

He did stop, however, when a large rock smacked into the back of his head, blurring his vision as he stumbled to a halt. Whirling around, he ducked just in time to avoid getting hit by another rock when Rapunzel was upon him, fury etched into her face. She did nothing but stare at him for a moment, her eyes examining his face before softening into a kind sadness, understanding replacing the anger that had just a moment before been threatening to consume her.

“I know what you’re doing Eugene.” Reaching out, she gently cupped his face in her hands before pulling herself up for a kiss, her lips gently brushing against his in a feather like caress. Jerking back, Eugene forced his features into his coldest look, almost glaring at Rapunzel. But instead of getting upset, like he had thought she would, Rapunzel instead countered his glare with a smile of her own, almost melting his heart with the warmth in her eyes. Not good.

“Mother warned me you would do this,” she said, taking a step closer to him. Reaching out, she wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him into a hug, her forehead resting against his chest. For a single moment he considered pulling away, climbing the tree that was a few paces away, vaulting over the wall and running. That way, he would not have to reason with her, since obviously hurting her was not going to work. He had to get her to let go of him, no matter what. But the moment he opened his mouth, it was not the carefully worded request for her to release him that came out.

“You talk about me with your mother?” A slight giggle and a nod his only answers, Eugene was glad that it was night and that Rapunzel’s face was buried into his jacket, otherwise the red stain that crossed his face would have been enough to send him running even if he had not been convinced he had to leave. Clearing his throat, he gently took a step back, his hands falling on Rapunzel’s shoulder to gently push her away. When she finally let go, her hands falling to her sides, he carefully put a few more steps of space between them before sitting down, gesturing that she should do the same.

“Pray tell. What do the two of you discuss?” He could not help but feel stupid asking his girlfriend what about him she talked about with the Queen, but once more he needed more time to figure things out, though instead of months, now all he was asking for was a couple of minutes. It was obvious that he would have to think before he spoke again. Mean words and him leaving was not going to help in this situation, despite the hundred other times they had worked on the random girls he had picked up over the years that believed, just because they had spent the night together, they had a special bond or something. But, of course, Rapunzel was no random girl he had found flirting with him in a pub. She was Rapunzel, the crazy, amazing, Princess of Corona that had spent the first eighteen years of her life locked up in a tower with a frog as her best friend. He should have known that his normal run away tactics would not work. He would have to use reason and logic to convince her of why he had to leave.

If only he could convince himself first, then it might be a whole lot easier.

“Mother said you would try to leave, because that’s exactly what Father tried to do after she turned him human. Father believed that, just because he had been born a bear and turned human through magic, that he was unworthy of being with Mother and becoming King. So, he tried to run away and-“

“Wait.” Eugene held up his hands as his brain finally caught up with what Rapunzel had been saying, though it was still hard to process and he was not quite sure he had heard her correctly. “Repeat that again.”

“Father tried to run away?”

“Before that.”

“He thought he was unworthy of Mother’s love?”

“Little bit before that.”

“Father was born a bear?” Eugene could feel the confusion and disbelief that had been welling up within him make itself known across his face, his jaw dropping as he learned this crucial piece of evidence about the royal family. Watching as Rapunzel nodded, her own confusion at his confusion clear within her eyes, Eugene could feel the panic that he had only just been controlling from when she told him she loved him break through the dam he had placed up to contain it. Oh, Sun.

“Your father use to be a bear? Like the fuzzy animal that lives in the woods and mauls people for breakfast? That kind of bear? Wow, okay. That explains some things. By the Sun, your father use to be a bear! Is this something that’s normal with your family, Blondie? Your dad was a bear, you had glowing hair, is your mother magical too? Please, tell me right now; actually, don’t tell me, cause if she used to be a chipmunk I don’t think I’ll be able to take it.” Pacing around the garden (though he did not remember standing up), trying to regain control over himself (really, he had not even know his voice could go that high), Eugene was only vaguely aware of the fact that Rapunzel was laughing at him, her eyes streaming with tears as she held her side to keep herself in one piece. Reaching up, she grabbed his arm as he was passing by and pulled him down so she was sitting next to him, using him as a support to keep herself from falling over. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Rapunzel nodded against his shoulder as her laughter died off, leaving her feeling much better then she had just a few moments ago.

“Yes, Father used to be a bear. A talking one, too. That’s how he and Mother fell in love. No, having magical powers is not normal in our family. As far as I know, it’s just been the two of us who have any association with magic for the past couple of generations. And no, I don’t believe Mother has ever been a chipmunk, though one of her cousins ate some mushrooms he found in the forest once and believed he was a squirrel for three days, which is kind of close enough. But that’s not the point!” Twisting so she was no long leaning against him, Rapunzel forced Eugene to look at her, turning his head so that he had no other choice then to look into her eyes.

“The point of me telling you is so you can see that what you’re trying to do is pointless. Mother said that you act a lot like Father used to when they had been courting for a while, just before he tried to run away so he could become a bear again. He believed that, just because of who he had been born as and who he had been as a bear, he wasn’t worthy of being with Mother. That she would be happier if she was married to one of the princes she had become friends with. So, he ran away, went to the witch that lived in the forest, and became a bear again.”

“And what did your mother end up doing,” Eugene asked, not just curious about what the Queen had done, but also because he knew Rapunzel would do the exact same thing if she was in a similar predicament. The two women were a lot alike in many ways, one of them being just how stubborn they could become when it suited them. A triumphant smile on her face, Rapunzel leaned in to briefly kiss him before continuing her story, the smile turning into a smirk as she watched him realize that it was useless to try running.

“She went to the same witch, begged the woman to tell her were he had gone, and spent the next two years chasing him throughout Corona until he finally gave in, became human again, and married Mother a few months later. He became one of the best Kings Corona has ever had. Now, if a former bear can do it, why can’t a former thief?”

Eugene let out as sigh as he shook his head, still trying to wrap his mind around the family history he had just been told. Once more standing up, he began to wander the gardens again, though this time it was a thoughtful instead of frantic pace he set. For a while they stayed like that, he thinking, she sitting and waiting, as he gave shape to the thoughts within his mind. Finally, nodding as they fell into place, he once more took his seat next to Rapunzel, his hand unconsciously finding hers as he began to explain why he had to leave.

“Your father was a bear. An animal. Animals just do the things that come naturally to them. If he stole something while he was a bear, it was because he thought it was natural that food that was just there should be eaten. For him as a bear, there was no such thing as possession. It was all free because there was no such thing as a price tag. Me, however, I’ve been a human my entire life. I’ve known almost from the day I was born that things belonged to people and that, should you take it from them, you would get in trouble. Any crimes your father committed as a bear and even slightly after he became human are excusable, because he might not have known better. My crimes have only been excused because I rescued you. Had you not been with me when I came back, believe me, I would already have met Death for lunch. As it is, even though I’m not wanted anymore, my crimes are still there, still as black as they had been when I first committed them. You would be better off with one of the princes you’ve made friends with.”

Eugene let out a sigh as he finished, for the first time in his life hoping that someone would believe him at face value, taking his words as the complete truth without wondering if he was lying or not. Glancing over, he watched as Rapunzel’s smile slowly slid of her face into a look of confusion and frustration. Obviously, part of what he had said had stuck with her, a realization that both lightened his load and burdened him more than ever before. Since she could see that he was right, perhaps, instead of drawing this out any longer and hurting themselves even more, she would finally let him go.

“What princes?” Okay, he had not really expected that that would be the part that Rapunzel latched onto, but if it would help her let go…

“One of the princes you’ve been writing to for the past couple of months. Any of them would be a good choice for a husband and king, much better than I could be. So, it would be better for all of us if I-Hey, why are you laughing?”

Eugene stared indignantly at Rapunzel as a series of giggle erupted from her once again, her hands automatically going to the renewed stitch in her side from her laughing attack a few minutes before. Seeing the look on his face, Rapunzel quickly stiffed her laughter to answer him, though the wide smile that had taken up residency on her face refused to fade.

“William is in love with his chambermaid, Edward keeps asking for advice on how to deal with his little sisters, Thomas is trying to write a complete history of the different countries and wanted to add our story to it, and Torrance wants me to do the wedding portrait for him and Prince Clarence in the spring. Remember when I showed you that wedding invitation a few days ago? That was for them. So, three of the princes you just mentioned are already taken, and the other two just see me as a source of information. The romantic aspects are pretty slim, don’t you think?”

Reaching over, Rapunzel grasped Eugene’s hands before standing up, pulling him up with her, despite the fact that it seemed his brain was currently going through an overload of information. Hugging him, Rapunzel once more buried her face into his chest, deeply breathing in the familiar scent that rose from his skin. Closing her eyes, listening to his heartbeat, Rapunzel whispered her last argument that completely shattered his resistance, his arms automatically enveloping her in a hug of his own.

“Even if all five of the princes were free and claimed they were in love with me, that wouldn’t matter. I don’t want any of them. I want you, Eugene Fitzherbert. I love you.”

“And I love you, Rapunzel.”

Standing there, embracing the woman he loved tight within his arms, Eugene felt as if the night could not get better. He was in love and, amazingly, she loved him back. Not just loved him, but wanted him, actually wanted the orphan thief instead of a highborn prince. Already he could image their future together, married and with wonderful kids, watching as their children grew up to have families of their own. They would become Queen and Prince Consort and, together, they would lead Corona into a time of peace and prosperity. No matter what was to happen, he would always be with her, for now that he knew she actually wanted, really, really, wanted him, there was no way under the Sun anyone was going to get rid of him. Everything was perfect.

Except for one question that had been nagging him for the past ten minutes.

“Hey, Rapunzel?”

“Yes, Eugene?”

“Do you think your dad would kill me if I gave him a jar of honey?”


	4. Pregnant

The fourth time Rapunzel requested Eugene to not freak out, they had been married for almost two years.

It had started out like a normal morning. They had awoken to the sounds of the birds chirping in the gardens, welcoming the Sun’s return for a new day. After a couple minutes of arguing over whether they really had to get up or not, an argument Rapunzel always seemed to win, they had set about getting ready for their morning tasks, preparing for lessons and meetings and all sorts of stuff that Eugene, even after doing the same things for almost five years, still had trouble keeping track of.

Tugging on his shirt to straighten out the wrinkles, Eugene could just image how the rest of his day would turn out to be. In just a few moments, he and Rapunzel would kiss each other good bye for the rest of the morning, parting ways until the late afternoon, when the meeting with the Council would reunite them. The meeting, of course, would be all business. He would be surprised if they were able to say two words to each other from the moment they walked in to the final closing bell. Another two hours would pass until they would finally be able to find a few minutes to be together, alone and away from the responsibilities that came with being royalty. But even then their reprieve would only last for a few moments before they would be whisked away by servants to whatever else it was that they would have to attend to. It would be long after dinner, a meal the two of them rarely ate together, when they would finally be able to be with each other, forgetting about the current political crisis they had avoided (or in his case, made much, much worse) and just be themselves, stealing back a few hours that the world had decided to take from them in the first place.

Sometimes, he wished that the two of them were not the Princess and Prince Consort, that they could be just two regular people, free to do what they wanted when they wanted, without worrying about the current state of affairs and how going to the pub for a drink with friends might be seen as a breach of some international agreement. But even with the responsibilities the two of them faced each day, he settled for vague wishing because, for the most part, he would not change a thing.

Giving his shirt one last tug before giving it up for lost, figuring that the servants would soon be fussing over him anyway, Eugene turned away from the mirror with his arms opened wide, his eyes searching for his beloved, who by now would have already been in his embrace, the two of them saying their farewells before leaving for the day. What he found instead was his wife standing by the window overlooking the gardens below, still in her nightgown with her eyes clouded, staring at something in the distance that he would never be able to find. Dropping his arms to his side, Eugene let out a slow sigh as he watched her, a sinking sadness filling his heart. Although she was normally the perky one in their relationship, had been ever since he had found her up in that tower, there were days when it seemed she was lost, her mind filled with so many different thoughts and sensations that she had no clue how to deal with all of them. Even after five years free from her tower, for Rapunzel, the world was new, wonderful, scary, and a bit overwhelming as she worked to catch up on the eighteen years’ worth of memories and experiences she had missed.

Normally, when it seemed that the world had become too big for her, he would cancel all of their appointments, shrug off their responsibilities, and take her and Pascal to see Max, her presence making it that much easier to convince the horse to play hooky for the day. Then, before anyone was wiser, the four of them would be galloping through the forest, making their way towards a small clearing by the river that they had found exploring the forest a while back. Once there, the four of them would do absolutely nothing, just lie in the sun and talk about how life was going, eating the wild berries that grew along the side of the river. For the entire day they would stay there, forgetting about the life that resided outside of their forest, the last two humans, horse, and chameleon in the world. By the time the sun set and it was time to return to the castle, they would all be refreshed, ready to face whatever it was that the world had in store for them.

That is what he would normally do and what he would have already been in the process of doing had one little and currently insignificant detail not stopped him. The meeting. Almost the entire court was going to be there to discuss the upcoming year’s plans. Being the Prince Consort, with no more political power then one of the lower Lords, there was no real reason for him to be there other than for show and in case he ever had to take over for Rapunzel should she fall ill. But Rapunzel was the Princess, the future Queen of Corona, and there was no way she could miss this.

Doing some quick calculations in his head, Eugene let out another sigh, this time out of exasperation rather than sorrow as he gave up doing the complicated math it would take to figure out if they could make it to the clearing and back in time. Torn between his duties as her husband and his duties as her consort, he could not help but feel that either way he was screwed. Going to the clearing was a sure way to cheer her up, to help her clear out some of the thoughts that were cluttering up her head. On the other hand, the meeting…

Was not until this afternoon, and could wait a minute or two if the Princess was late because her husband had kidnapped her.

Glad that he had finally made up his mind, Eugene slowly walked up behind her and placed his arms around her waist, careful not to startle her as her mind began to draw itself back into reality, her eyes becoming unclouded as the raging thoughts died down.

“What are you thinking about, Blondie?” Nuzzling her neck with the tip of his nose, Eugene smiled as Rapunzel relaxed into his embrace, a small smile gracing her lips as she caught sight of him in their reflection in the window. Tightening his hold on her, Eugene waited for the standard blow off she was about to give him, the same ‘nothing’ he had received every time he had asked that question before. The moment she spoke, he was prepared to drag her to the stables and bribe Max into helping him steal her away for a forced vacation. Unless, of course, she agreed to leave with him, which would make the whole process a lot easier. Women that wanted to be kidnapped normally tended to behave better when you were trying to avoid guards.

“What do you think about children?” Eugene’s arms went slack as his eyebrows raised, caught off guard by the return question, though his surprise was accompanied by a sense of relief. If Rapunzel was willing to talk, then she most likely was not being over stressed by life outside of her tower, something they could all rejoice at. Though her topic of conversation was interesting, to say the least.

“Children in general, or do you have some specific children in mind? In general, they can be loud, messy, annoying, and just overall strange at times. But they can be kinda cute too, when you get some good ones. Like the chef’s kids, the ones that stop by the office every now and then with a plate of cookies and honey. Those kids are fine. Why do you ask?”

Shifting her weight from foot to foot, her face crinkling as she gathered her thoughts, Rapunzel gave a little shrug, her eyes asking him to stay silent for a moment as she figured out what she was doing next. Respecting her silent wish, Eugene gently swayed back and forward with her in his arms, softly humming under his breath as he waited for her to speak. For a long moment it was silent except for his whispered singing, which was starting to sound a lot like the song he had learned at the pub last week. He had just been about to ask her again when she finally spoke, killing the words on his lips before they ever had a chance to live.

“Eugene, don’t freak out, but I think I’m pregnant.”

On a side note, it had been a long time since he had last thought about his promise to himself to not freak out. While there had been many instances where he had heard that phrase, rarely had it pertained to a life changing statement that was going to upset the balance of the universe as he knew it. Being told not to freak out because he had a bug on his hat or because the random noble he had managed to insult the night before was around the corner was not that big of a deal. Even the time when Rapunzel had told him not to freak out because his sleeve was on fire (which, of course, had directly led him to freaking out and burning down most of the armory. He still thought that any weapon that randomly bursts into flames needed larger warning tags) had turned out all right, the seemingly large event quickly becoming a distant memory (and a good story the guys at the pub told to get a few laughs, because even he had to admit it was pretty funny after a few drinks).

But standing there, his mind frozen from Rapunzel’s revelation, Eugene was hit full force with the reminder of his promise, his personal pledge that he would accept everything she told him without freaking out or getting upset, at least where she could see him. So, with that in mind, he did the only thing that, at the moment, made any kind of sense. Dropping his arms to his side, Eugene backed up a few steps, his face blank of any emotions. Turning away, he caught sight of Rapunzel in the mirror across the room from them, her eyes wide and watery as she watched him, her mouth parted as if she was going to say something. Not giving her the chance, he quickly crossed to the other side of the room, opened the door, and left, allowing the wooden barrier to swing shut behind him on its own power.

Once the door had clicked shut, Eugene finally allowed the emotions that had been boiling under the surface of his heart to spill over, combining into one huge mess that only allowed him a single course of action: he freaked out.

Pregnant. Rapunzel, the Princess of Corona, his wife, was pregnant. With his child.

Running his hand through his hair, pulling open the buttons on his shirt in an attempt to cool off, not truly caring that he was ruining the carefully crafted professional look that had taken him almost half an hour to create, Eugene began to pace the hall outside their room, the activity helping him burn off some of that extra energy that had suddenly appeared as he tried to untangle the mess that was his mind. Plucking a thought at random, intending on following its trail until he could discard it from the others as completed, he froze as the one that jumped to the front of his mind turned out to be the one that had first started his newest panic attack. Rapunzel was pregnant. In a couple of months, she was going to become a mother. And unless he was totally mistaken and Pascal actually turned out to really be a frog, he was going to be a father.

And that terrified him.

For starters, he did not know how to be a dad. The orphanage he had lived in when he was younger had been run completely by women who, while they were amazing ladies that had done everything they could to try and keep him on the straight and narrow, had not really been able to provide a ‘fatherly’ influence for him. Then there was the fact that almost every man he had ever met in his life either hated him, despised him, wanted him dead, or wanted to personally kill him. No chance of a role model there.

Even the King, the one man in the whole kingdom that he actually looked up to and who no longer wanted him buried in a shallow grave, really had no clue how to raise a child. Not that it was his fault or anything, seeing as how an evil witch had kidnapped his first born and the Queen probably would have died if they had tried to have another, but that still did not change the fact that the last time the man had held a baby it had been almost twenty three years ago.

Then there was the fact that he, Eugene Fitzherbert, the former Flynn Rider, was going to be a father. And he was almost one hundred percent sure that, should he ever even touch the kid, he was going to screw it up for life. Although it had been five years since he had forsaken the name Flynn, the thief still lived within him, still had control over how he thought and acted. He had long since lost count of the number of nights he had spent sneaking through the castle, using his old skills to help avoid the guards. He could not remember all the times he had broken into the palace treasury just for the heck of it, really just to see if he still could. He had even done it drunk a couple of time, for the Sun’s sake! And he was pretty sure it was because he was just that awesome, not because the guards were that bad.

And as impressive as these accomplishments were for a former thief who had been out of commission for a couple of years, they were not abilities that should be passed down to the future ruler of the kingdom. Traditional princes and princesses should be thoughtful and polite, their every word dripping with authority as they learned how to be a perfect king or queen from the moment they were born. While the orphanages were packed with them, the palace was no place for a young child whose only aspirations in life were to go on adventures and have fun, perhaps stealing from unsuspecting travelers along the way. In short, the castle was no place for a child, his or not, that he had helped to raise, for any one that he touched was sure to be just plain messed up.

In the back of his mind, the part of him that was a coward wondered for a moment if it would without him. Angrily, Eugene silenced the thought, disgusted with himself for even allowing that thought to come into existence. He loved Rapunzel more than anything and had sworn to protect her, something he could not do if he was on the other side of the planet. Besides, even if he did leave, he would not be gone for long. Maximus had made it very clear on his wedding day that, should he ever hurt Rapunzel, he would be found the next day after a very unfortunate accident with the kitchen knives. And he knew, without a doubt, that the horse would chase him to the ends of the earth to fulfill that promise if he left.

Letting out a frustrated groan, Eugene turned towards the window that faced the ocean, the morning sun making it sparkle and dance as the tide rolled in, the water level slowly rising around them. Watching as the sailors below prepared the ships to leave, looking like a bunch of ants swarming over a small sliver of wood, he could feel the turmoil in his mind slowly dying, his hopes and dreams replacing his worries and fears. He could feel the panic receding, the part of him that was logical and cool finally taking over. And with that came a realization that fixed everything.

His wife Rapunzel, the love of his life, the future Queen of Corona, the woman he had and would die for in a heartbeat, was pregnant. With his child. He was going to be a father.

A wide smile crossing his face, Eugene did not even try to be quiet as an overjoyed laugh erupted from his lip, echoing throughout the halls. Twisting around, he flew to the door, yanking open the barrier that separated him from his love…and froze, his sudden joy killed by the sight before him.

Lying on the bed, curled into a tiny ball, guarded by a vivid red Pascal that looked ready to kill him, Rapunzel tried to choke back a sob as she spotted him, her face blotchy and eyes bloodshot as the tears continued to roll down her face. Staring at her, watching as her beautiful green eyes reflected the pain he had just put her through, guilt struck him harder than a frying pan, piercing his heart better than the sharpest arrow ever could have.

Crossing the distance between then, fending off Pascal’s tongue with a practiced flick of his wrist, Eugene gathered Rapunzel into his arms, his heart breaking as she continued to bawl with renewed strength, her hands clutching at him as if she was afraid he would leave again. Gently rocking from side to side, humming a random tune that had popped into his head, he held her close as she cried, not caring that the servants would have a fit once they saw his ruined shirt. Catching sight of the clock that hung on the wall, he noticed that the two of them were late for breakfast, though he really could not care less at the moment. He had never been one for deadlines anyway.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured into her hair, his arms tightening around her waist. “I’m so, so, sorry. I shouldn’t have left, I was just surprised. I started to freak out, and I needed time to think, but now everything is going to be okay, Rapunzel. We’re going to have a baby; we’re going to be parents. Heck, Pascal is going to become an uncle. Everything is better than okay. Everything is right.”

Pulling away from his embrace, wiping the last of her tears from her face, Rapunzel examined Eugene with caution, her eyes weary but hopeful.

“You aren’t mad? You want to have the baby?”

Leaning forward, Eugene placed a quick kiss on her lips before ducking down, pressing his cheek against her stomach. Although he knew it was impossible, that there was no way it could have really happened, he swore he could feel a slight flutter as he spoke, the child, their child, responding to the sound of his voice. With each word, his heart swelled as visions for the future played through his mind. The two of them were starting a family, and even if the kids were messed up because of him, they would still be theirs.

“I was never mad, just surprised. And how could I not want something that will be so perfect?”


	5. Labor

The fifth time he heard the phrase, it was the morning he became a father.

Making his way towards the kitchen, Eugene yawned as he shuffled along, his eyes fighting against the sweet pull of sleep that seemed so tempting at the moment. Raising the list he had clutched in his hand to the light of the torches that lit that hallway, he shuddered as he once again read the snack he had been sent to prepare, another disgusting combination that had been born from the nightly cravings. Somewhere in the castle a clock began to chime, telling him that it was way too early in the morning for any sane man to be awake.

Of course, when your wife was heavily pregnant, very hormonal, and about to give birth to your first-born child, sanity took a back seat to keeping her happy so she did not bite off your head. Or worse, attack you with a frying pan.

Reaching his destination, Eugene wandered through the kitchen, carefully examining the food the royal chief had bought just a few days ago as he searched for the things that would help ease the extreme cravings Rapunzel had been experiencing throughout the night. Pulling out the peanut paste and pickles, he sighed as he grabbed a slab of fish and some chocolate, placing all of his ingredients on the counter before turning away to start up the small wood stove he had requested be added a while back, one that he could use to make the snacks he had been sent for without having to request the help of the kitchen servants. As he carefully placed a few pieces of wood into the burner, he could not help it as his mind wandered back to the woman who was probably already fast asleep by now, her cravings tempered off by her more pressing need for rest.

Eugene was worried for Rapunzel, though he had managed to hide his concern quite well. For the past few days, she had been acting especially weird. Well, weirder then she had been acting throughout the rest of her pregnancy. She had been frantic, worrying about details that they had long ago decided on, like the color of the nursery and whether they should give the child a horse or a frog as its first toy. Her mood swings had also gotten worse, an unexpected change from what, as Eugene understood it, had been an exceptionally calm pregnancy. During her first few months, it had been rare to see Rapunzel upset or angry, though really that had been because she was too ecstatic about having a baby to feel anything else.

But in the past few days alone, he had watched many times as she went from being overjoyed about some small detail concerning the preparations to about ready to go on a rampage with her frying pan, only for her anger to fizzle out midway through her triad and turn into sorrow and grief, profusely apologizing to whoever it had been that she had snapped at while at the same time trying not to break down into sobs. That, along with the renewed morning sickness that lasted the entire day, had turned Rapunzel into an emotional wreck.

Then there was how large she had gotten, though to mention anything about the size of her bulging abdomen was akin to stepping right in front of a cannon that was about to explode. Both were a very bad idea, but Rapunzel was much, much, scarier. Unlike most of the pregnant women he had seen throughout his life, it did not seem like she had put on any extra weight, which was why he had become so worried. As the months had gone by and the child within her grown, it had almost seemed like she had become smaller, too fragile and tiny to carry the life within her. Although everyone had waved away his concerns for her with the excuse that the child was probably just large, that she was probably just retaining water that would go away once the baby was born, he could not help the feeling that something strange was going on within his wife, something that he did not understand and could not help her with.

Placing the last of the wood into the stove, Eugene doused it with the cooking oil he had seen the cooks use hundreds of times in the past before going over to one of the larger stoves. Gently opening the warm door, he carefully removed one of the still glowing embers that had been left to smolder overnight, ready to be brought back to life the next more to when the chiefs returned to cook breakfast. Using his stolen heat to coax a flame into being in his own small stove, he froze as the sounds of guards passed by the kitchen, the rattling of their chain mail and the pounding of their boots easily informing him of their position. Waiting until they had passed, he set to work creating the monstrosity that Rapunzel had requested.

Quickly searing the salted fish once the flames grew hot enough, the process sped by the oils below, he threw in the rest of the ingredients he had gathered, his eyes watering as the conflicting smells mixed together into something beyond foul. Luckily for him, it did not take long until he decided that it was cooked enough, the brownish black sludge oozing onto the plate before him. How anyone could eat it and survive, he did not know, but he had watched Rapunzel happily devour the mixture many times over the course of her pregnancy, a testament to how much a child could mess with a person.

However, it was not just Rapunzel who had changed over the course of her pregnancy. It had been _everyone._

From the moment they had announced that Rapunzel was expecting, it had seemed like the entire kingdom had gone insane, the people of Corona determined to make sure that the newest member of the royal family would stay with its parents. All around the castle, for the past six months servants had been examining every nook and cranny for weak points in the castle’s defenses, replacing the latches on the windows with deadbolts and littering the top of the castle walls with wires and nails. Gates had been installed at all the city entrances, ones that could and were easily closed each night, preventing anyone from entering or leaving the city a few hours after sunset. The King and Queen had even seen fit to hire the former thugs from the Snuggly Duckling pub to invade the city and castle, their extensive knowledge of how to deal with the guards and break into homes helping to expose any flaws with the protection plan that had been deemed necessary, for even if the child was not born with the same magical powers that Rapunzel had been, the future ruler of the entire kingdom could obtain someone a large enough ransom to make it more than worthwhile to try and steal the kid.

Leaving the kitchens to return to their room, the snack carefully balanced on a silver tray he had grabbed for kicks, Eugene instinctively ducked back into the doorway as a pair of guards turned down the hall. Letting out a sigh of relief as they rounded the corner the opposite corner a few moments later, a slight chuckle at their incompetence raised his overall mood at still being awake with a pretty negative outlook for getting any more sleep in the next few hours. Another thing that had changed was the sheer number of guards that wandered the halls, the force having been tripled in the past few months as Rapunzel’s due date drew near. Though he was going to have to have a word with Maximus in the morning about their training, for this was the sixth time he had traveled the hallway in the span of a few hours, and not a single one of the ten young men he had hidden from had noticed he was there, even with the fact that he had been in plain sight most of the time. Finally reaching the familiar hallway, Eugene quickened his pace; the delightful thought of sleep putting a spring in his step as he neared the warm comforts of his bed and wife.

However, the moment Eugene entered the room, he knew something was wrong.

Instead of lightly dozing in their bed, a warm wool blanket wrapped around her despite it being the middle of summer like she had been the last two times she had sent him for food, Rapunzel was instead leaning heavily against the wall, her eyes gazing at something far in the distance, something beyond the stone wall that faced her, something that only she could see. Even as he watched, her eyes fluttered closed as she inhaled sharply, a cross between a gasp and a whimper falling from her lips as the hand that kept her against the wall clenched into a fist, her knuckles turning a ghostly white. Dropping the food he had just spent the last hour dodging guards and making for her, Eugene rushed over to her side, only just noticing the dark stain that marred their normally white stone floors beneath her. Taking her weight in his arms, he began to pray to the Sun, the Moon, to any light entity that might be listening at this Sun forsaken hour of the night that this was not happening, this could not be happening, that it was too early and too soon and everything please had to stop. But even as the prayers formed in his mind he knew they were worthless, for it had already begun.

“Eugene, don’t freak out, but I think the baby’s coming.” For a single moment, Eugene stared at her in shock as she made her request, one that was already far too late.

“You want me to not freak out when you just went into labor? Sorry Blondie, that ain’t gonna happen.” Sweeping her up into his arms, Eugene ran from the room, ignoring the murderous glare that was plastered upon her face, though he did notice when it transformed again into a grimace of pain, her body stiffening as another contraction occurred. Turning the corner, he cursed as he slid to a halt, just barely avoiding running into one of the guards that had been patrolling the hallway. For a moment, it looked like the young man was going to start yelling, his face flushed and twisted into a mask of anger. A mask that quickly fell as he realized whom it was before him, the flush swiftly turning ghostly white as Rapunzel stifled another gasp, her nails digging into her husband’s skin.

“The, the Princess, the Princess is-” Eugene quickly cut off the stuttering guard as he pushed past, throwing his demands over his shoulder even as the two of them disappeared down the hall, his feet automatically taking them to the palace infirmary.

“Yes, the Princess is having the baby. Get help now!” Within minutes the castle had awakened, the young guard enlisting the help of everyone he could find to alert the rest of the inhabitants of the newest development.

Carefully placing Rapunzel down on the bed that dominated the main infirmary, Eugene gently swept away the thin sheen of sweat that had broken out upon her forehead, all the while softly cooing to her that everything was going to be ok, that she would be all right, that the baby would be born soon, they would be a family, and everything would be just perfect. Even as he spoke, his voice as even and as calm as he could keep it, he could feel the panic rising within him, could feel the doubt and worry that had been building within him for the last six months pound against the walls he had placed around them.

Rapunzel was so tiny. Standing there, he was struck once again with just how disproportionate she looked, her stomach bulging in such a manner that he was sure the child within her would be too large, that she would never be able to give birth to the giant she had been nurturing for the past nine months. The love of his life was about to die trying to bring his oversized child into the world, and there was nothing he could do to help.

Wincing as her hands latched around his arm, her nails digging deeper into his skin with each panicked breath she took, Eugene frantically looked around, searching for the women he had met just a few days ago, the midwives that had been hired to tend for Rapunzel as she brought their child into the world. Breathing out a sigh of relief as he caught sight of the familiar heads of similar grey hair the four women sported, it did not take long before they and their assistants were bustling around the room, setting up pots of water to boil in the fire place and plies of cloth close within reach should they be needed. Soon after them the Queen arrived, her worried motherly aura helping to calm Rapunzel, her frantic breathing turning slow and even, deep breaths that helped to calm the pain of the contractions. For a while, everything seemed to be going perfectly.

Until one of the midwives noticed him.

“Him,” she screeched at the guards, her voice only just audible over the noise of the preparations. “I will not have him cursing us with his presence. Get him out of here, quietly!” Immediately the guards fell on him, dragging him away from where he had been standing at the side of the bed, watching as the Queen calmly consoled Rapunzel, expelling her fears for the next few hours. Neither of them looked up as he was dragged away, one of the guard’s hands clasped over his mouth so he could not alert them to his departure.

“I’m sorry, sir,” one of the guards murmured as they pulled him out into the hallway, his place quickly taken by one of the assistants as she checked Rapunzel’s vitals. “When a midwife tells you to do something around here, you _do_ it.”

With a slam, the doors were closed in his face, the sound of the deadbolt sliding into place infuriating him even as Maximus and the King grabbed him, pulling him away to keep him from busting down or picking the lock of the barriers that kept him from Rapunzel. But even with the King yelling in his ear, the guards banging around as they tried to fulfill the tasks that they had been sent to do, and the calm yells of the midwives that were helping to bring his child into the world, nothing could drown out the sounds of Rapunzel yelling his name, each scream becoming more and more frantic as she realized he was no longer with her.

“Eugene? Eugene! EUGENE!”

And there was nothing he could do.


	6. Twins

Seven hours.

For seven hours he had been waiting there, pacing across the floor as wave after wave of nervous energy crashed around him, him movements frantic and jerky. Many times he had almost decided to take on the guards that blocked his way, going five to one, sword to fist in an epic battle that would most certainly go down in Coronian history. But each time he had paused in his restless rhythm, the guards had stiffened, prepared to block his entrance with brute force if the need arose. Luckily for him, it had never come to that, for the moment he would get ready to engage the battle, three pairs of hands, or rather, a pair of hands, hooves, and whatever the frog’s limbs were called held him back, forcing him to return to his anxious waiting.

What was taking them so long?

Glancing over at the three males that had taken over the job of stopping him from making a fool out of himself and out of the infirmary, Eugene could not help the sinking feeling that spread throughout his chest at the sight of their faces, all of them expressing their worry in their own unique way that did nothing to help make him feel better. The King, as always, stood tall and proud, his back straight enough to put any pole to shame. With his tangled mop of hair and unruly beard, both forgotten about in the excitement of the event, he looked almost wild, almost like he could turn back into the bear he had once been all those years ago at any moment. His eyes were fixed upon the doors, glaring at them with an animalistic ferocity that Eugene had never before seen and hoped he never would again. He too wanted to be with his daughter, to do everything he could to protect her, yet was also barred from entering due to a stupid superstition.

Next to the King, chewing on something that he had to suspect was a piece of furniture was Maximus, his eyes closed almost as if he was sleeping, though the twitch that ran through his ears every once and a while proved otherwise. As he watched, Max open one of his muddy brown orbs to stare at him, his eyes conveying everything that his lack of words could not. Maximus was scared, scared that something would go wrong and everything would end horribly, the same fear they all had, though Max was the only one of them who seemed able to control himself. It was only when you looked into his eyes, through the windows into his soul, that you saw just how frightened he really was. Content that Eugene had not attempted yet another break in, Maximus once more closed his eyes and returned to his chewing, once more hiding his fear from the rest of them.

Finally, running across the wall behind the man and horse was Pascal, his skin flashing almost every color of the rainbow in a mere few second, giving Eugene a headache just glancing at the reptile. Out of them all, Pascal was almost as freaked out as he was, though, unlike the rest of them, he had actually been there when the now locked away stash of books about birthing informed Rapunzel of just what exactly to expect when she had the baby. He had been there when she had been filled in on everything that could go wrong with child birth, from her passing out to the child being a breech baby to the two of them dying some horrible bloody death. It had taken weeks to calm the majority of their fears, but clearly even the reassurance of having the best midwives in the country were not enough to help the little lizard. He was terrified of losing his best friend, and Eugene could not blame him one bit.

Running his hands through his hair, Eugene let out a long, slow sigh, the muscles in his neck tightening into painful knots as another screech rent the air around him, turning the most peaceful moment they had had in the past few hours once more into a battle field as Rapunzel fought to bring their child into the world. Though he was loath to admit it, hearing her cries actually helped to calm him a bit, for each scream that interrupted the silence just meant that she was alive and struggling, that she had not yet left him for the other world. That she was one step closer to surviving this trial.

But even as he listened to her screaming, Eugene could tell that something had changed.

Freezing with his foot half in the air, the hair raising on the back of his neck, Eugene twirled towards the doors as the screech was cut short, leaving behind a ghostly silence in its stead. For a long while nothing seemed to happen as they waited with baited breath, everyone’s gaze fixated on the barrier that separated them from the infirmary. Then, as suddenly as Rapunzel had been cut off, her scream was replaced with a strange, echoing cry that shattered the ice that had formed around his heart, sending it racing twice as fast as it had been before. A large smile spreading across his face, his eyes filling with joyful tears, Eugene turned to face the others that had waited with him and uttered the first words to be spoken since this whole ordeal began.

“I’m a dad.”

It was not long before the Queen exited the room, the dark circles under her eyes barely noticeable as she flashed the brightest smile he had ever seen. Going to her husband, she happily pulled him into a hug, whispering into his ear her news of their grandchild. For a moment the King looked startled, but it was quickly replaced with his own excited grin as he lifted his wife into a spin, his barking laugh echoing down the hall to the servants that waited at either end. In response, over a hundred deafening cheers traveled back as they began their own celebrations, thanking the Sun and Fate for the newest member of the royal family and the preservation of their beloved Rapunzel, who many had believed would fall to the same illness her mother had barely survived years before. But it was on none of these that Eugene was focusing on. Instead, his attention was captured by the cracked door and the people that hid behind it.

Pushing open the door, Eugene was greeted with the most beautiful sight he had ever beheld, though Rapunzel would be the first to deny that she had been anywhere near decent when he first saw her. Her face was flushed red with a thin sheen of sweat covering her forehead, her eyes almost closed from exhaustion as she struggled to stay awake. Her shortened locks laid flat upon her head, plastered there by the damp cloth someone had been using to try and clean her up some, most likely the Queen if he had to take a guess. Her head was tiled away from him as she stared at something that lay on the bed besides her out of his line of sight, but at the moment he could not even being to wonder what it was.

For lying on the bed before him, pressed close to her side, was a small blue bundle with a tuff of chocolate brown fuzz.

“A son?” For a long moment she did nothing, her attention completely consumed by the thing next to her on her other side. He was just beginning to wonder if perhaps she had actually fallen asleep when she stirred, forcing her eyes to open fully as she pushed herself into a sitting position. Scooping up the child he could see into a one armed grasp, she let out a deep exhausted sigh before responding.

“Yes Eugene, a son. Or rather…”

It was then, as Rapunzel turned her head to fully look at him, that he heard his sixth request from her to not freak out.

“Eugene, don’t freak out, but, well…” Raising the arm furthest from him, Rapunzel exposed the second little blue bundle that she had been looking at a moment before, a wide grin stretching across her face as she glowed with motherly pride.

“Twins.”

A few minutes later, as they were playfully arguing about what to name their second son, Eugene would venomously deny that he had fainted, passed out, blacked out, lost consciousness, or done any of the other words or phrases that would describe someone losing awareness of their surroundings. He had simply tripped out of joy and excitement was all, and the large lump on his head could easily be explained by his sudden desire to spread his joy over the birth of his children to the entire castle.

Even the floor.


	7. All Grown Up

The seventh time he heard the phase, it was the day he realized that his little girl was finally all grown up.

Laughter echoed through the gardens as Eugene raced through them, huffing and panting as he drew near to one of the exits of the great maze that inhabited the court yard. Behind him, he could hear the pounding of many little feet as they chased after him, mixing with the sounds of children squealing and adults shushing them as they tried to capture him. Smirking as he rounded the corner, coming into full view of the orchard that had been planted a few years ago, he reached up and swung himself onto one of the lower hanging branches, his arms trembling for a moment at the effort.

After taking a minute to collect himself, Eugene continued to pull himself upwards, quickly rising above the heads of his pursuers as he continued to form his plan, his mind formulating and examining his every option faster than he had just run, the pieces coming together in an escape plan that would have made himself proud, had it been thirty years before hand and he had still been Flynn Rider.

But no matter how ingenious the plan itself was, it was bound to fail if his body was unable to comply with its demands.

Pausing for a moment half way up the tree, Eugene sighed as a sudden weariness fell over him, something that had been happening more often as the years continued to roll past. At fifty-two years old, he was no long the youngster he had once been, though he was nowhere near being done with life. Just as dashing, daring, and handsome as ever, if a bit more wrinkly, he was still living the dream, one that he had no desire to end anytime soon.

One that, if he was not mistaken, was making her way towards his tree right that very moment.

Scrambling upwards into a particularly dense section of foliage, Eugene chuckled as he watched Rapunzel slowly make her way through the maze, examining every nook and cranny she could in an attempt to find him. Her nose wrinkling in frustration as her efforts proved to be futile, she quickly turned down one of the side entrances that led deeper into the maze, her excited and joyful expression clear to him even twenty feet above the ground. Following her as she made her way through a series of twists and turns that she had obviously memorized, it did not take long before she was once more absorbed by the main search party that had been tracking him, though her mop of unruly brown hair that he would know from any distance kept her from becoming just another member of the pack that was looking for him.

Pulling his eyes away from his beloved, Eugene’s expression softened as he looked over the rest of his pursuers, his eyes rolling in mock fear as he imagined their reaction when they finally managed to capture him. Most of them, he could finally see, were the children of the servants that lived and worked within the castle, children that were probably neglecting their own chores at the moment to join in on the game of chase, a fault he could not blame them for. At the moment, he and Rapunzel were actually supposed to be looking over some papers, but those could wait for a while. Documents were forever, while the soft summer breeze that tamed the blistering heat would soon be gone, forcing them to retreat back into the dark confines of the castle to cool off.

However, out of about thirty, if his eyes were still doing him justice, it was only seven, eight including his wife, which he was truly interested in.

Glancing at the oldest of the children that were running amuck on this fine day, Eugene quickly identified his first born son, a strapping young man of almost twenty four that, after many hours of arguing after he had been born, had been triumphantly named Flynn by his ecstatic, if extremely exhausted, mother. An almost exact carbon copy of him, Eugene was just thankful to the Sun that his son had missed out on the thieving genes, a skill that would not have looked very good on the resume of the next King to be.

Standing quietly next to him, taking stock of the situation and softly giving suggestions to his much more aggressive older twin brother, was Philip. Identical in looks to Flynn, two brothers more different from each other could not be found within the entire kingdom, or so he liked to believe. Although the two boys both enjoyed a good adventure when one was to be found, Flynn had always lacked a certain finesse that Philip had possessed from a young age, though Flynn more than made up for it with his direct approach of brute strength. Not to say that either of his eldest sons was unintelligent, but Philip, just like he was doing now as he whispered a suggestion for them all to split up into smaller, more effective search parties, had always just taken the time to think things through. Watching as Flynn quickly jumped on the suggestion and started organizing the groups with a voice that would have made their former Head of the Guards Maximus proud, the two of them soon had their miniature army swarming the labyrinth in search of their Prince Consort. The two of them were good together, a perfect team that Eugene was sure would bring peace and prosperity to their kingdom, just like their mother and grandparents had before them.

Watching from the side, laughing as the two men tried to restore order to their troops as a swarm of butterflies stole the attention of the children away for this newest game that their Queen had joined in on, were three young women that he loved as daughters, though only one was truly his own by blood. After a few moments of hesitating, taking in the fun that everyone was having around them, it was the middle one who finally pulled them in, her translucent skin seeming especially breakable from this far away, though he knew that the child was far too much like her mother to let something so small keep her from having fun.

Raine had been sick when she had been born, her entire body whiter then snow except for her lips, which had been bluer then the sky above them. It had only been through the minor healing magic that the midwives had managed to learn after years of study, nothing like Rapunzel’s had been but enough to start a baby breathing, that had saved her life that day. But the experience had left her weak for most of her childhood, the lack of coloring in everything except her blood red eyes giving the impression that she was living with one foot in the grave at all times, never able to pull herself out to live the life she should have had. Although she had gotten stronger with time, able to keep up with the others during their many crazy play times, it was still a constant fear of his and Rapunzel’s that, one day, they would wake up to find that their eldest daughter had departed this world for the next. At the moment though, Eugene was just glad to be watching her now, twirling around the clearing in the maze with her mother and soon-to-be sisters.

On either side of Raine, their prim and perfect facades crumbling as they were drawn into the arms of their beloveds, were the Princess Helen and maiden Opal, two people from the exact opposite ends of the spectrum that had both managed to draw the attention of his sons. Watching as Philip lifted Helen above his head in a spinning twirl that had her laughing more than he had seen in the past few months while Flynn pulled Opal in for a quick kiss, he could not help but be proud of the two women his sons had fallen in love with. Although different in looks, where Helen was a fiery red head with sparkling blue eyes and Opal’s raven black hair often fell about her face to cover her features, especially her large hazel orbs that often looked overwhelmed by the extravagant living of the royals, the two of them were extremely similar in personality, actually caring about the people they would one day be ruling rather than the large treasury that was kept heavily guarded from thieves. They were naturally kind, and any lies that the two of them saw fit to tell almost always had a larger purpose for good, such as keeping the secret of when Raine’s own beau had come to ask for her hand in marriage, permission that had been quickly granted to the absent young man.

They were both fine women, and would make good rulers one day.

Finally, Eugene let out a barking laugh as he watch his youngest son force his way through the side of the bushes, his tangled mat of signature brown hair twisted around leaves and sticks that gave him the appearance of one of the woodsmen that lived in the forest, turning the trees into their homes and the undergrowth their kingdoms. Eldrid had always been a bit strange, preferring to make his own path through the world rather than following the ones already laid out for him, no matter the cost or difficulty. He had taken a quick liking to the sciences when he had been younger, loving the way a quick turn of his screwdriver or wrench could spell either the downfall or accession of one of his many inventions, or how heating some of the chemicals he had obtained from the castle alchemist just a minute too long could create a blast of smoke that forced the entire castle to evacuate from the smell. He had inherited his mother’s sense of curiosity, and he fully intended to try and satisfy it.

Sighing as a renewed sense of peace fell over the party below him, Eugene knew he was a lucky man as he watched his family wander off to continue searching for him, ignoring Flynn’s and Philip’s attempts to organize them for having fun instead, the twists of the maze just making everything more exciting. He was a blessed man, he knew, blessed both by Fate and the Sun to have such a perfect life. He was more than in love with his wonderful wife, he had three handsome sons, two beautiful daughters, and would soon have two more when the wedding plans were finally finalized. Yes, life was a dream…

“Wait a minute,” Eugene muttered under his breath, shaking off the doze that had threatened to fall over him. Leaning farther out so he could see better, he quickly ran though the list he had just made in him mind, his eyes darting around as he checked off each of the people he loved as soon as he saw them.

Making her way towards his tree once more, determination written on her face, was Rapunzel, the love of his life and the center piece of his dream. Check.

Behind her, heading in the opposite direction of his mother was Eldrid, forcing his way through another set of bushes as he tried to catch up with a group of children that were starting to wander too far into the maze. Still in the clearing were Flynn and Philip, their raised voices and wild hand gestures making it clear that, somehow, the topic had turned to the best way to saddle an untamed horse while wearing chain mail and only one shoe. His three sons: Check.

Near the entrance of the maze that led back into the palace court yards he caught sight of Helen and Opal, the two of them surrounded by the younger children as they taught them to make daisy chains, kindly helping them learn how to tie the appropriate knots that would keep their flower crowns intact for the rest of the day. Soon to be daughters-in-law: Present.

After a few frantic moments, Eugene finally spotted Raine nestled beneath the boughs of one of the smaller trees to his right, taking a break from the sun that threatened to burn her sensitive skin, thought he sight of his eldest daughter did nothing to calm the panic that was rising up within him. No, it was the absence of his youngest child, his little girl that he knew had been part of the chase when it had first begun, that was worrying him.

Their last and youngest child, Alina had been the only one of their children who had been born with blonde hair, a feature that had immediately struck fear into their hearts. Although a quick hair cut on her second birthday had fixed that problem, turning the golden curls brown and straight with a single snip of a pair of scissors, the terror that one day someone would take their little baby girl had never left him, making him that much more protective of her then her siblings.

Forcing his breathing to calm, Eugene hauled himself up a few more branches towards the top of the tree, hoping that the extra height would give him the few more feet he needed to see over the entire maze. Holding up his hand to block out the bright sunlight that pierced through the covering of the tree, his hope was quickly fulfilled as he spotted the familiar bright blue dress his daughter had taken to wearing every moment she could, her hair braided and piled upon her head in an elaborate style that he knew must have taken her a while to complete. It took him a moment, however, to realize that she was not alone as he had first expected her to be, nor was she making her way through the maze to rejoin the game she had gotten lost from. No, as his mind finally processed the scene below him, it became clear that the game was the last thing on Alina’s mind.

Instead, her focus was entirely on the boy that had her pressed up against the bushes that formed the walls of the maze and was currently exploring the inside of her mouth with his own.

“There you are, Eugene! We’ve been looking all over for you.”

Tearing his eyes away from the sight below him, Eugene pulled Rapunzel up so she was sitting next to him, her eyes wide as she gazed at the world around her. Without realizing it, he began to stare as she turned her smile upon him, the happy glow in her eyes almost extinguishing the anger that had erupted within him.

The years had been good to her, her body aging in such a way that made her even more beautiful to him each time he was her. Laugh lines creased her cheeks and crow’s feet had developed around her eyes from the amount of time she spent smiling, but nothing had dimmed the joyful light that shone from her eyes, nor had it had any affect upon her smile. Her hair had never grown, not once in the thirty years they had known each other, but strands of grey had appeared none the less as the color of youth was sapped from them, leaving a maternal pattern behind that spoke of experience. But even the beauty that was his wife could not calm the emotions that had risen up within him at the sight of the two children below.

“Eugene, are you okay? You seem…tense.”

Wordlessly, biting his tongue to keep from being short with Rapunzel, Eugene pointed to where Alina and that boy, Timothy he believed was his name, were still pressed against the hedges, their extended kiss now comprising of a series of quick small ones, as if they both knew they would be soon missed and had to leave, but wanted to put off leaving for as long as they could.

For a single moment Rapunzel watched the two of them, her face blank as she took in the situation before her. It was to his shock that she let out a small, sad sigh before turning to face him, the smile on her face out of place with his anger.

“Eugene, don’t freak out, but it looks like our little baby girl is finally grown up.”

Eugene started as Rapunzel laid her head against his shoulder, her eyes sparkling as she watched their daughter finally pull away to find the rest of the group, leaving Timothy grinning like a fool as he watched her round the corner before heading back the opposite direction, probably to return to his duties as a page. Following her movements, it did not take long before Alina stumbled upon where Raine was sitting, the two sisters quickly getting caught up in some conversation that was too soft to hear, though by the looks on their faces he was sure that they were discussing the events that had just transpired. His suspicions were only confirmed when Alina gave a solid nod that prompted a high pitched squeal from Raine that was quickly followed by a crushing hug, the two talking over each other as they both tried to express their excitement at the same time.

For a moment, Eugene could feel another wave of anger washing over him, anger at Rapunzel for not seeming fazed by this turn of events, anger at his daughters for keeping everything a secret, for it had obviously been going on for a while, and anger at the young man who had dared put his hands on his little girl.

“I don’t like it,” Eugene said stubbornly, shaking his head as he switched his gaze to where the boy in question had finally reached the edge of the maze, carefully looking around before speeding on his way back to the stables, soon out of sight from their position in the tree. “At least Jonathan had the honor to come and ask us before he started to court Raine. He…Ugh! Impudent little…”

Leaning back, Eugene let his words fall to mumbles as he crossed his arms in disgust, his eyes continuing to stare at where Timothy had just been, his anger shining plainly through them as his rage began to boil. Giggling, Rapunzel leaned back with him, her arms wrapping around him to help her keep her balance.

“You know, they aren’t much different from us when we were their age.”

Raising his eyebrow at her, Eugene pointedly looked away from the maze to focus on his wife and her absurd accusations.

“I was never that daring. Your father would have had my head for sure.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.”

Lifting her shoulders in a small shrug, a smirk appeared upon Rapunzel’s lips as she lowered her voice to a whisper, as if the two of them were in a crowded room rather than high up in the relative safety of a tree.

“I seem to remember a pretty daring thief that would sneak into my room each night after everyone else had gone to sleep. And if my mind isn’t playing tricks on me, I seem to remember us also sneaking out into the middle of the gardens, down to the lake, to the Snuggly Duckling, and many other places where two young people in love being alone might be considered daring. Especially since we would leave Pascal at home.”

Returning a smirk of his own, Eugene leaned forward and placed a small kiss upon Rapunzel’s forehead, his initial rage and shock at seeing his daughter kiss a man wearing off as she reminded him of their own little adventures, almost all of which had ended in the two of them sneaking back into the castle, trying their best not to get captured by the guards as the sun was rising. Sighing, he drew her closer as he turned his gaze back to the rest of his children, checking their progress in their game of hide and seek. Glad that none of them were even close, he let his eyes flutter close as the slow breeze gently rocked them.

“I still don’t like it. Alina is only eighteen and she-“

“She’s the same age I was when we met. And look where we are today. “

Groaning at her logic, he let his head fall to his chest, burying his nose into her striped hair.

“She’s our little girl.”

“All little girls grow up to become women. But that doesn’t change the fact that she’ll always be our baby.”

Opening one of his eyes, Eugene let out a deep sigh as he turned his head enough so he was gazing at his wife, a sadness that was the twin to his shining from her own eyes. Inwardly, he knew she was right, though he did not want to accept it. Their children were all almost fully grown, ready to get married and have families of their own. Soon, they would be passing the crowns off to Flynn and Opal so they could rule Corona, leaving the two of them to retire in peace.

Soon their children would not need them, which was what truly killed him inside.

“You know, sometimes I wish…sometimes I wish there was a way to keep them with us forever, to keep them the little boys and girls that we use to have to chase around the castle whenever they got it into their heads that it was okay to release the hunting hounds and falcons into the corridors. Or when they stole your collection of paint and painted all the horses different colors of the rainbow. And remember the time when they set the kitchen on fire? I remember being so angry with them at the time all that happened, but now I would give anything to hear the five of them arguing as they got into trouble, just so I could be their dad again.”

Rapunzel nodded as Eugene talked, giggles erupting as she remembered each of the incidents he mentioned, her eyes shining with mirth as her memories took on a lighter tone then the original event had expressed. It was clear that she also longed for fonder, if more hectic, times, but unlike Eugene, a plan had begun to form within her mind as he talked, one that banished the sorrow that had been growing within her heart at the thought of losing her last baby.

“You know Eugene, if things keep up like this, we might have a few grandchildren in a few years. And you know, the kids will probably need someone to watch them while they’re running the kingdom. And I bet no one would bat an eyelash if we, in our old age, sometimes forgot to lock the door to the room where I keep my art supplies and left the secret passage to the stables open. Do you?”

Smiling at her suggestion, Eugene laughed as he imagined the trouble the two of them could cause with their grandchildren in tow, the image lifting his spirits from their former slump.

“You know Rapunzel, I love the way you think.”

Sitting in the tree, watching as the clouds rolled by and the children below finally gave up on ever finding their Queen and Prince Consort, Eugene was once again reminded that day of how lucky he was. Thirty years beforehand, he had been a thief who was destined for a date with the gallows and a shallow grave, one that would have easily exposed his corpse to the scavengers that lived in the woods surrounding the city. He had loved no one but himself and the pile of money he had been working on amassing so he could buy his way out of life and slink off to some remote island, where he would die a lonely old man whose only comfort glittered gold and was cold.

But now, now he was in love with and married to the most amazing woman in the world, was the ruler of a country that had not seen a war or natural disaster for almost a century, and was the father to five wonderful children. Except for one little detail, his life, his dream, was perfect.

It was sunset by the time the two of them decided that it was time to return to reality, where piles of papers and documents awaited them, though Eugene had another plan in mind before he had to focus on those. Reaching the bottom of the tree, he reached up to help Rapunzel slide down from her branch before setting off, determination etched onto his features as he started to make his way into the maze, throwing his responses over his shoulder to her questions as he fixed his mind on the horse stables. Or rather, on the boy who was in them.

“Where are you going, Eugene?”

“To have a talk with a certain young page.”

“Don’t hurt the lad too badly. I don’t believe Alina would appreciate that very much.”

“I can’t make any promises, Rapunzel. I can’t make any promises.”


	8. End

The eighth time the request was uttered, it was the day his dream, after sixty wonderful years, finally came to an end.

Whispers echoed along the hall as Eugene slowly made his way to the infirmary, his head bent close to his chest not only from the many years he had managed to survive, but also from the circumstances he now had to face. He had known for a long time that his old invisible companion, the one that had watched him every step of the way from the shadows during his life as a thief, would be coming to visit his household soon. He and the old man had some matters to settle, after all, for you could only cheat Death so many times for so long before you had to pay up.

But reaching the door that led to the main sick room, a single candle’s light flickering along the floor to guide his path down the otherwise dark corridor, Eugene could not help but curse his old friend because, for once, he had come for the wrong person.

Taking a deep breath to calm the nerves that caused his spotted hands to shake, Eugene softly entered the room beyond the wooden barrier, the strained healer’s nod the only sign that his existence had been recognized and that he was allowed to remain. Closing the door behind him with a slight thud, he quickly made his way to the large bed that occupied the middle of the room, perching himself on the edge so he could gaze down upon those emerald eyes once more. Gently brushing away a clump of hair from her face, his voice was surprisingly calm when he finally spoke despite the shrieking in his heart.

“You’re not looking so good, Blondie.”

For a single moment fire flared within her eyes, drowning out the hurt that radiated from her very core, her body unable to contain its grasp on life for much longer. Struggling in an attempt to raise herself into a sitting position, it soon became painfully aware that she no longer even had the strength to complete as simple of a task as that, though the pout that crossed her face as she admitted defeat was still strong enough to bring a chuckle from his lips.

“Don’t strain yourself, Rapunzel. I just got Flynn’s reply, and he said that they should all be able to make it back by sunset. They had to cancel the harvest festival, but everyone is coming home. Almost makes me glad we decided to forgo tradition and stay home in the first place.”

To tell the truth, Eugene had refused the yearly invitation to travel with the rest of his family to Kalahar to celebrate the harvest because of Rapunzel. He had known that the old man was walking besides her, his grim hand supporting her though her last few days, and had been desperate to spend the last of the time they had together in peace, not surrounded by loving citizens who knew nothing about the monarch they all cared for so much. So when the invitation had arrived at the palace right on time, just like every year before, he had make up some complaint about sore bones and backed out, his long taught elegance as the former Crown Prince expertly smoothing any ruffled feathers, allowing the rest of his family to go and have fun while the two of them remained behind.

He had known that their time was short, but he had never imagined that they had so little.

“You know,” he continued, his hand unconsciously reaching out to grasp hers as he talked, “once the kids get back and you get better, we’ll have to have our own harvest festival. And with Katherine so close to giving birth to our first great-grandchild, we’ll have to figure out a way to move everyone to the village that’s hosting the Winter Festival this year. I’m thinking we could take a boat down the river, the Sun knows we’ll need the space. Did I mention that the girl wants to name the child after Pascal if it’s a boy? Apparently, she wants to have two sons, Pascal and Maximus. She barely remembers all the times Flynn took her riding on that old horse, and she was only two when Pascal passed, but she still loves them. And after you get better we’ll-“

Eugene paused as Rapunzel reached up and covered his lips with her free hand, her fingers shaking slightly as she silenced him. Glancing at her, his eyes widened as a single tear fell down her cheek, even as a small smile crossed her lips. Letting her hand fall back into her lap, Rapunzel softly whispered the truth he had been trying to deny for so long.

“There will be no ‘after,’ Eugene. Don’t freak out, but it’s time for me to go.”

For a single moment Eugene stared at her, his face blank as her words slowly penetrated his skull, taking another minute to sink in before their full impact was felt.

“No,” he whispered, his head shaking futilely even as painful tears began to well up within his eyes, his mind accepting the truth even as his heart rejected it. Panic choked his throat as he spoke, his words coming out hoarse as he clung to his wife.

“No, no, Rapunzel, you can’t. You can’t leave us. The kids will be back in the morning, the baby will be born next week, you have to be here for them. You can’t go, not now. There’s still so many things we have to do, so many places we have to see, people to meet. You can’t leave now. You can’t leave me. Please, you can’t.”

Reaching out with her wizened hand, Rapunzel gently cupped Eugene’s cheek as she pulled him close, her breath coming in frighteningly small pants. Turning his head so he could better hear her, Eugene did not try to stop the tears as they flowed from his eyes, wetting the pillow that his beloveds’ head rested upon.

“Eugene, for the last sixty years, you’ve been my dream.”

With a startling realization, Eugene suddenly found the situation that had happened all those years ago suddenly reversed, only instead of him being the one dying, it was her. It was her and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Bowing his head, pressing his lips to the hand he clenched within his own, Eugene uttered the words that would free her from her pain, causing himself the worse agony he had ever imagined.

“And you’ve been mine.”

Finally, with a stuttering sigh that did nothing to interrupt her final, loving smile at him, Rapunzel closed her emerald orbs for one last time and rested.

All across Corona, not a dry eye could be found as the bells tolled to spread the news, the terrible news that the people had been dreading for so long. Even the sun wept that day for the tragedy that had befallen its people, for the fate that had finally caught up with its most beloved of children.

After sixty years of being their beloved princess and queen, Rapunzel was finally dead.

But not a single sorrow was greater than the one of the man who continued to hold her hand long after it had gone cold and stiff, the man who had loved her more than life itself, and who would continue to do so until Death finally stole his own final breath and reunited them.


	9. Go

The ninth time Eugene heard the words 'don't freak out,' the single phrase that had defined the most important moments in his life, was the day he finally succeeded in complying with her request.

Making his way through the dark hallways of the castle, Eugene couldn't help but sigh as he turned corner after corner, his old bones and joints protesting the movement much more then he had hoped they would. Shivering, he pulled the thick cloak he had grabbed before leaving the library closer around his shoulders, hoping to block the winter-y wind that cut through to his bones. But even as a breeze that to anyone else would be stifling hot bore into him, shaking him to the core of his being, he knew that it would be no use.

The warmth of his life had left many years ago, when he had watched the fire finally fade from the eyes of the one woman he would have given his own life for many times over.

Reaching the door that led to his chambers, a series of rooms that were much too large for just him, Eugene leaned heavily on the door to force the wooden barriers open, grunting as they slowly inched open only under the full force of his weight. Once, a long time ago, when he had been in the prime of his life, he would have been able to pull open each door with only a single hand, barely even noticing as another obstacle fell before him. He had once been a strong man, athletic, and more then capable of going one-on-one with the best of the best in their kingdom, mainly their old Head of the Guard, Maximus.

But those years had long since past, leaving only a wizened shell in its place.

Forcing the doors closed once more, Eugene quickly made his way over to his bed, a single pallet he had traded out for the king-sized bed that had originally inhabited the room a few years ago. Flipping down the covers, he slowly sunk down onto the mattress, gasping as pain shot through his body. Groaning, he gently lowered himself so he was flat on the bed, wincing as the tension melted out of his remaining muscles.

He had become far too old over the past few years, and really he could only see one way to cure it.

Closing his eyes, Eugene concentrated on the steady thrum of his heartbeat, listening as it began to slow after the stress of pumping blood throughout his increasingly tired body, entreating him to remain alive as time passed far too quickly for his taste around him. A haze soon fell around him as his breathing began to deepen, the swirl of thoughts slowing into a trickle as he willed himself to sleep, hoping to whittle away a few more of the hours he had left in this life captured in that dreamless state he so longed for these days. He loved life, had loved seeing his children grow and getting to know his grandchildren and great-grandchild, but his time had been up long ago. He was tired, and all he wanted to do now was rest.

"Hello Eugene."

Eugene's blood froze in his veins as the voice whispered within his mind, his heart stuttering to a halt only to restart twice as fast a moment later as his mind struggled against a wave of despair that threatened to consume him. He knew, for a fact, that there was no one in the room with him, and even if by the slight possibility there was, it could only be the cruelest of sorcerers, for no decent person would dare to use thatvoice. The voice he had longed to hear for so long, but that had been lost to him many years ago.

"Eugene, honey, are you asleep?"

Flinching away as a soft hand ghosted over his cheek, Eugene refused to open his eyes to confront the apparition that had been sent before him, instead preferring to remain fixed upon the image that had formed within his mind, least he once again be heartbroken at her absence. It was not a picture of how he had last seen her, but of how she had once been, when they had both been young and alive. When they had both been together. Clamping his eyes shut tighter, he buried his head into his pillow, hoping to drown out reality and instead lose himself within the vision.

"I knew I should have brought Pascal. He would have had you up by now. Or at least a frying pan, but then, that wouldn't have been very nice. Eugene, wake up now!"

Startled by the sudden change in the apparition's tone, Eugene allowed his eyes to flutter open, his heart already sinking as the empty room returned his blank gaze. Forcing himself out of bed, he gently shook his head before heading over to the window that stood open on the other side of the room, allowing the slightest of breezes to enter within and bring long since dead voices with them. Leaning his forehead against the cool glass, he slowly let out a mournful sigh as the vision of her disappeared completely, destroyed by the harsh truth he had been trying to escape for the last seven years.

"Eugene, turn around."

Pain exploded within his joints as he twirled around to face the intruder, the harsh words he would use to berate whatever low-life had dared to enter his chambers already forming on the tip of his tongue ever before he had filled his lungs. Dimly, he wished he still retained the strength to hold a sword, so he could teach the scum a lesson he wouldn't soon forget. Stepping towards the blurred shape that had appeared besides his bed, the words and desires quickly died as he finally saw who had invaded his quarters.

Reaching out, his mouth slightly open in wonder, Eugene gasped as his hand connected with the figure before him, his fingers gliding over the soft skin that surrounded her lips, tracing the features of the face he had so long ago since memorized. Blinking back the tears that had come far too easily over the past few years, he staggered back towards his bed, the shock weakening him ever farther then before, his voice hoarse as he voiced the only words that could come to mind.

"Rapunzel? Is that, is that really you?"

Letting out a slight laugh, Rapunzel nodded as she knelt before her husband, her eyes shimmering with mirth and excitement. She hadn't aged a day, he vaguely realized as he examined her face, not a single day from the moment they had first met. All signs of the old age that had stolen her from him had disappeared, leaving behind the young woman he had first fallen in love with. For a moment he wondered about this, about whether he should really trust the sight before him, but his concerns were quickly pushed away as she spoke, her voice trembling slightly as she finally relayed the message she had come to bring.

"Eugene, don't freak out, but it's time for you to come with me."

For a single moment Eugene just sat there, staring at the image of his long dead wife as his brain quickly processed the knowledge she had just imparted to him. Vaguely, he couldn't help the feeling that he should be scared, that he should be running away right now, trying to get as far away from her as he possibly could. He should probably be yelling right now, screaming actually, for the guards to come to him, bringing with them one of the priests that inhabited the castle. He should probably be begging for a little bit more time, time that he could use to put his already secure affairs in order, to say good bye to the rest of his family, time to introduce Corona to her newest King, though Flynn had truthfully been running the country for almost forty years now. There were a lot of things his mind told him he should have been doing, but he did none of them, choosing instead to ignore his head in favor for a much wiser organ.

Instead he chose to follow his heart, who's only message was that his wife was standing before him and that he was wasting too much time thinking, time that would be much better spent holding her in his arms once again.

"You know Rapunzel, I believe you are right."

Reaching out to take her offered hand, Eugene gasped as a rush of warmed flooded through him, awakening his dull senses to the world around him that he had forgotten about so long ago. Before his very eyes he watched as the hand that was clasped around hers transformed, the grayish spots and wrinkles melting away as a glowing tan and muscles took their place, his hold becoming firmer with each second that passed. Pulling away, he twisted towards the single mirror he had left hanging within the room, his face twisted into a mask of shock as the final stages of the transformation took place. Running his fingers across the suddenly smooth and taunt skin, he turned towards Rapunzel with an excited grin as he swept her up into a hug, twirling her around as he laughed at the turn of events.

"I'm young again Blondie! But, I died. Didn't I?"

Setting the petite brunette woman on her feet, Eugene glanced back towards the bed where he had just been laying, the weight of the world and his many years making him feel as fragile as glass and substantial as air. And he was still there, he realized with a shudder as he stared at himself, at the body that had been his for so long. Already the pale skin had turned chalky, the last remnants of warmth that had marked the vitality of life leaking out into the air around him. The eyes had clouded over, the dark brown turned milky as his corpse stared off into the other world. At some point, he had crawled back under the blankets, the excessive covers wrapped around him like a cocoon. Except for his eyes and the joyful smile that had remained on his face ever since he first saw her, he could have been sleeping.

And truthfully, he couldn't help but prefer this. When he had been younger, still the stupidly lucky thief Flynn Rider, he had always imagined that he would go down in a blaze of glory, killed off in the middle of his most famous and daring heist. Or, should he somehow manage to survive his twenties and manage to buy his island, have his throat slit one night either by some random thug looking for some extra cash or by an old enemy who had found him and wanted revenge. He had even entertained the idea of dying in some palace prison after finally be caught red handed by the guards, worked and starved until they would bury his body in a shallow grave off the side of the road and be done with him. He had never once imagined that he would die in his old age after a long and happy life, the former Prince Consort to the most amazing woman in the world. But now that it had happened, he wouldn't have had it any other way.

Funny how Fate worked like that.

"Eugene, it's time to go now."

Turning away from the body, Eugene smiled at his wife as he locked hands with her, their fingers intertwining as she pulled him towards the bedroom door.

"Where are we going?"

Pausing, her hand gently resting on the handle, Rapunzel tilted her head in thought for a moment before shrugging, a half smile crossing her face as mischief and fire danced in her eyes, mixing with a sudden surge of longing and sorrow as she examined his achingly familiar face. Her smile falling into a slight frown, she carefully reached out to trace the shape of his nose with a trembling finger, her brows furrowed as she tried to reassure herself that they were finally together once again.

"I don't know. I was waiting for you."

Tugging her towards him, Eugene gently pressed his lips against her own, the years of loneliness and pain washing away as she gently murmured his name, her arms wrapping around his neck to deepen the kiss. For a long while they just stood like this, holding each other as close as they could, washing away the pain and sadness they had both suffered during their separation. It wasn't until the rising sun broke through the open window that they drew away, the heavy burdens they had both been carrying significantly lightened by the others' presence.

Watching as Rapunzel once more grasped the handle to the bedroom door, her other clenching his own tightly, he couldn't help the chuckle that rose from his lips as a thought drifted across his mind, a reminder of a promise that he had made so long ago he probably wouldn't have remembered it had the circumstances that surrounded it not been so amazing. Shrugging at Rapunzel's questioning look, he reached out and took hold of the handle to the other door, ready whenever she was to go on their next adventure.

"I was just remembering how, after we first met, I made a promise not to freak out whenever you told me something. It took me a long time Blondie, but I finally believe that I was able to keep that promise."

Flashing him one of her brilliant smiles, they gently pushing against the doors before them, the wooden barriers easily swinging open at their combined touch. Where there had once been a corridor of cold stone and unforgiving steel, a hallway of shimmering light stood instead, giving off a welcoming wave of love and warmth. Squeezing his hand tight, she gently pulled him through the doors, her face lighting up as hazy figures that had gathered at the end of the hall began to become distinct, taking the shape of loved ones who had long since past. Her eyes gleaming, Rapunzel softly asked her final question as, step by step, they walked father and farther into the light.

"Are you ready to go find a new dream Eugene?"

In response, Eugene took off running down the lightened path, their laughter mixing together as, finally free, they chased after all the dreams they could find.


End file.
